No morning skate before Habs face Penguins; White out with flu

The Canadiens flew to Pittsburgh after Wednesday night’s 2-1 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings at the Bell Centre and will face Sidney Crosby and the Penguins Thursday night (7 p.m., TSN-HABS, RDS, TSN Radio 690).

The Canadiens didn’t have a morning skate in Pittsburgh.

It will be the first game for the Penguins since the Olympic break.

“After a three-week break, we’re not going to be perfect out there on the ice right away,” Penguins defenceman Rob Scuderi told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “But we’ve got (24) games to get our P’s and Q’s together and make sure we have the right mindset heading into the playoffs.”

The Canadiens definitely looked rusty in their first post-Olympic game against the Red Wings.

“The execution was not there and that was for both teams,” Canadiens coach Michel Therrien told reporters after Wednesday’s OT loss. “We put ourselves in a position to get a point and you’re always disappointed when you get to overtime and you don’t get the (extra) point. We were hoping for a shootout, but it didn’t happen.”

The Canadiens’ Ryan White, who has the flu, didn’t make the trip to Pittsburgh.

Mitch Melnyk just finished a rant questioning why Galchenyuk gets so few minutes compared to other young and talented players around the NHL. Even some that Therrien coached in Pittsburgh, i.e. Crosby and Malkin. Finished his rant with ‘if the present coach can’t give G more ice time then bring someone in who will give Galchenyuk the ice time that he deserves’. Paraphrasing here.
Ooh la la.
Richard R

For any of you with kids who like sports and lego I just ordered my guy a few of these the other day…they are lego compatible NHL licensed minifugres..complete with numbers, emblems,etc….pretty cool….can get them on ebay too

And yeah the Habs dearly need top wingers with size, and Stewart could be the guy.
But I’m just tampering my expectations.
Sounds weird to say that, as there aren’t even rumors of him being traded here.

@Mavid and D Mex
They managed their first shot in the 2nd period at the 12:00 mark, and their “second” shot (the shot counter was being generous) was with less than 2 minutes left.
The scoreboard notwithstanding, you don’t think they were taught a lesson in puck possession?

Thanks, I’m aware of the shot count in the 2nd period – commented on it to my wife when she asked how the game was going. I’ve been around hockey for a while now, and get that 2 SOG in 20 minutes is not the winning way.

What you choose to ignore, however, is that my Habs scored the tying goal with less than 30 seconds left in the game. That they kept the game close enough to be able to do this suggests that they fought to keep it close, and played 60 minutes.

They lost by a goal – that’s one goal – in the 65th minute of the game, therefore, your statement below that they were ” handed their butts on a platter “ strikes me as sensationalism. So, congratulations on being sensational.

This team still has plenty of room fro growth..even as oon as this season…and as much as I have been on MT of late there is still this to hope for if he gives the guys a chance. HE knows what he will get out of Markov, Pleks, Gio, MOen,etc….but thosea re nt the guys that are going to make or break this team come playoff time…it will be how PK, Eller, Chcuky and occasional players like Boruuqe and Emelin are. Are they going to show up? can he ensure that theya re cnfident when they need to be? Maybe he is just tearing them down to build them up, or maybe he is completely oblvious to the fact aht the team missed the playoffs until teh guys I mentioned were regular contributors. Tehyar e teh key to this team….not Ginta, Pleks,marlov….we all know they will show up and do their thing…tehy always do….but for this team to make any noise at ll the younger core has to step up and right now they arenot being given much opportunity to do so.
Montreal has several players underperforming this season…I am not sure if there is a single player on the the team I can see that is exceeding expectations.

To move forward this team needs to be turned over to the youth. Officially hand this team over to the youth, then build around them. PK, Price, Patch, Galchenyuk, Tinordi, Beaullieu, Gallagher, and Eller need to be given more responsibility.

I know it wouldn’t be easy to move all of those players, but it could be done.

It would be unfair to say dead weight because they were not considered as such before and furthermore if we consider them as such, do you think other teams would think that they are valuable treasures ?

I think it is time to turn the page, move on and try to get the most out of them to replace them with other veterans that will better fit with the core that has been built in the last months.

I don’t think their invaluable.. They are “dead weight” for the identity of the team, sure it’s unmeasured, but team identity is huge and those old guys have to leave in order for the next generation to take over.

There is value in Markov, can help a PP UFA.. Easily get a second and prospect.

Matty re your question below….Montreal is alredy as good as Tampa. Your question re coaching…coaching is not just about coaching…it is people management as we all know coaches don’t play. However,if you view it differently you will see the difference. Can a good CEO run a company better than a bad one? Can a good employer get better results out of the same employees than a bad one? Can a good teacher get better results out of students than a bad one.

Ultimately the palyers are the players but talents can easily be misused, confidence killed, players can have undefined roles rendering them inefficient.

I truly do believe that coaching can make a huge difference ….now is that the same with all ocahces? no…the gap closes as in any other field between some and is wider with others. Also teams vary and there are several factors at play in a game as complex as hockey…but to think coaching is irrelevant IMO is absurd. This isn;t the NHL but I can tell you that every sports team I have ever been on or coached myself has been impacted by decisions. I can tell you my play has been affected by different coaches and confidence was always huge. I can tell you that giving kids confidence both as a player and a coach do make a difference.

I have been on teams that one year win championships and next year miss out completely…same team diff’t coach. If coaches were that irrelevant then they would not have them and certainly wouldn’t pay them millions of dollars.

Either from a players persepctive or coaches persepctive all that matters is this:
Is the team realizing it’s potential?
If this is happening and the result is a team well short of success…nothing coach can do. On the other hand if the answer is no…then you have to ask why that is. Sometimes it is players with poor attitudes, sometimes it is coaching, soemtimes it is other factors…but coaching is definitely one of the factors that is most directly linked to maximizing potential. Giving everyone roles, making everyone wnat to play their best (there are different methods…sometimes coaches get along with players, sometimes coaches play the bad guy and the players band together hating the coach, sometimes the coach just mess up.

Your question simply put is a trap and some of those coaches would likely do better and some worse….but do I think MT is getting the most out of his players? absolutely not.

IMO Subban, Eller, Galchenyuk, Gallagher, Emelin who were all instrumental in last years success and should have been expected to perform better…all seem to be in less defined roles than last season…and I think the results are showing. They do not seem as happy on the ice, I am seeing far less smiling and far less confidence.

I think MT has taught this team a ton…but I think he is too dependant on veteran players who won’t make mistakes and is not giving who IMO are the best players the best opportunities to succeed which IMo would result in better team success. This team has players who need risk for the reward and if they gain more than they lose than he should give them some room.

Now I am a schmuck typing from work and he is an NHL coach….so I would fail miserably in his role ….but that does not mean he is getting everything he should out of this group and I am sure most would agree with that.
The GM is not immune to criticism either and neither are the players themselves but collectively…when you look at the bigger picture there appears to be some starnge decisions being made …or so it appears to us…then again I questioned Team Canada and look how that turned out. I figured they would be starved for offense and they were…but I never expected them to give up 3 goals in 6 games….that is just unbelievable.

it happens all the time…I fear it may happen to me next season.,.we are having a hugely successful season and have won 3 series and our loop and are in Provincial semi’s but I worry for next year as they are 13 and 14 years old and I can see a couple are starting to tune me out of late. Tried different approaches but a crazy age…a few of them are often found visiting other planets during practice and driving me bananas !!!

I am lucky ..I got another one coming through the pipeline…my stepson is who I have been coaching for years but my little guy is just 5 and is the most hockey obsessed 5 year old you will ever see…looking forward to geting to do it all again! The age gap has its advantages and disavantages but the fact I get about 20 years straight of living in rinks is great!! IT may even work out that by the time my youngest is done my stepson may have one only a few years after…I may take a hiatus from the rink and live at the golfcourse instead….but as a grandparent I’ll be back at the rink likely wanting to go on every bus trip!

I see a lot of questions about Chris Stewart and being traded twice already and questioning his character
I have only seen him play a few times and some of what I saw would suggest otherwise. He is always sticking up for team mates which would make him popular in the room.

Good point, I don’t know what happened to Bourque. It seemed like when he played for Calgary, he played with way more edge to his game, and it also seemd like everytime we played them he was a factor in the game. Since he came to the Habs, he has not been the same at all..did the Orr concussion basically finish him?

Bourque has never been a scrapper or a big hitter. Bourque’s offense on this team this year has been awful and he has had some seriously bad luck as well. He was one of our best in the playoffs last year and seems to be getting his speed back this year. Hopefully he can turn it around

Is it just me, or did Carey Price look like he would rather be elsewhere last night during the pomp celebration prior to the game?
Not once did he crack a smile.

And speaking of celebrations, this too might just be me… (at risk of repeating myself), but I find that every time they have some type of major tribute, jersey retirement…. whatever, the team gets handed their butts on a platter.

When Carey was interviewed after the Olympics by a reporter on Sunday he answered the questions, but the way he answered them , he wanted to be somewhere else. Not with disrespect, but no long winded speeches (aka Cherry) and no “you know’s” and kept the interview short and direct to the point. I remember (I believe last year) where he said he hated going out to get groceries as everyone recognized him. Guess he is a small town boy, who does not relish the fame with being one of the best goalies in the world in a hockey wild country/city. Still a country boy at heart.

I think L is onto something about the mask. I think Price is pretty guarded with his emotions. Completely guessing here, but I think the fishbowl that is the Montreal Canadiens has caused him to essentially try make sure he gives no ammunition to the media and perhaps the fans.

What if he is all smiles last night, then today we read how Price seemed pretty happy about not having to play for the Habs after being on a much better team, etc……

I would like to see MT flip Briere and Bourque … I recall that Bourque has played well with Plekanec and Gionta while Briere might slide in well with Eller and Galchenyuk’s creativity. Also, he can take the right side draws …

Of course that gives you three centres on a line … and with White out I guess Eller becomes the 4th line centre with Moen and Parros …

Thanks ukee! Very true about the prices, I moved to Victoria and while I really enjoy the craft beer, it certainly more expensive than montreal.
Did some digging and found a pub with rds near the Olympic village, the sin bin. With a name like that…

I haven’t posted in a long time, but I had the unfortunate experience of watching the game last night and I have to hear what others think about the overtime.
MT basically rolled Plekanec & Gionta and DD/Max as his forward pairs in OT even during 3on3. In a game where they were lucky to get a point and played absolutely awful, why not throw Galchenyuk and Eller out there for a shift of 3on3? I would have loved to have seen what Chucky could have done with all that open ice.
I’m actually a fan of MT and his approach his second time around in Mtl, but last night had me second guessing his ability to develop our young players.
Thoughts?

Bond traders know it’s not just the size of your portfolio it’s the duration. In lay terms, how long is the term on your assets. Buying a bond means lending money. Selling bonds means borrowing money. You tend to want to borrow money at low rates. So, when you think rates are going up you sell bonds (borrow money now) and buy bonds (lend money at higher rates later).

Marvin Miller the famous former head of the MLBPA who fought baseball’s reserve clause and valued free agencies said the worst thing that could happen to player salaries was making every player a free agent every year.

In the early years of the NFL cap, neophyte GMs would spend to the cap, be forced to release players and have NO room to maneuver in the off season. It took NFL GMs a few years after instituting a cap to realize that cap flexibility entering free agency was a good thing.

The NHL GMs still don’t realize that sometimes it’s better to have players roll off the books to rebuild a team in the off season.

Teams gunning for the Cup tend to have a great core. They need assets to supplement perceived or real weaknesses prior to the deadline. Ideally, they obtain (older) players who help win a Cup and come off the books. The team can focus on re-signing the core and worry about reloading for a Cup run with rentals the following year.

We need to identify those teams and offer them players like Markov and Gionta to maximize the value of our assets.

That was a beautiful thought. The rental certainly works well for a select group of contenders. In the case of Markov the Blues are set on D so it likely won’t be them. Maybe LA thinks it could use some help generating offense from the defense and Washington and the Ducks could use some help on D. Let’s get that bidding war started! The point is a rental could be just what these teams are looking for to get them over the top in the SC playoffs and then the player comes off the books. Pittsburgh gave up 2 seconds for Murray just last year and Markov is much more dynamic. As for offensive D Boston grabbed Kaberle for a prospect a first and a second. Markov is more accomplished. And Kaberle was a rental (UFA that offseason).

Got a question for you all, and it’s an honest one, not a pot-stirrer:

Many people saying we should fire Therrien, and have said that for a while. I get it, people don’t like him for a wide variety of reasons that don’t need to be reiterated here. I don’t love him, but I don’t hate him either, and I don’t think that he’s to blame for a lot of what people pin on him.

Here’s the question:

Do you think that another coach (Babcock, Quenneville, Maurice, Suter, Ruff, whoever…) would make this team, with these players, better than Tampa Bay or Boston, or Pittsburgh?

Do you believe that our players are strong enough to be 1st or 2nd in the East, and that it is just a question of changing the coach to make that a reality?

I think a change could produce a better game, perhaps less wins now but more down the road. I think a change of coach could produce more development of younger players and indeed show us (and MB) what we have in some of our younger players. I think a change of coach would also satisfy Timo, and that in itself would be more than anything you or I could ever do!

Adding a trick to your question. Since about 1/2 of the posters say we should get rid of about 1/2 the team cause they’re useless, is it MT’s fault that the players are useless or is it that because the players are useless that MT is a good coach and is doing a great job with 1/2 a team?

Matty your question also raises the point of the teams flawed roster. Here’s my major with MT. I think his use if Galchenyuk has been too conservative. For all intents and purpose, Galchenyuk was the best player selected in his draft. He’s not been given the usual ice time or responsibility that that should warrant. LElle spoke to this in her post below. The same could be said for his handling of Eller as well.

Aren’t the teams 3 most talented players not wearing goalie pads are Galchenyuk, PK and Gallagher. Galchenyuk has not been afforded the opportunity to thrive as yet.

That being said, I’m not sure if the reason for the lack of production from our veteran players is the system or the players themselves. I hope MB knows.

It always depends on who is doing the replacing, if we got a guy like Maurice who has the Jets flying then yes in a heart beat. For me I think if we were to fire MT it would be for a guy who would be good at developing and using Gally, Chucky Eller in better situations, with guys like Chucky we have a great future and I am more worried about what MTs style is doing to the kids.

It wasn’t until today that I though almost any other coach would be better than Therrien. What kind of coah says “We were hoping for a shootout, but it didn’t happen.”??? He wasn’t hoping to win in Overtime? Does that mean he coached the team to try to hang on, not win it outright? Not pleased!

Michael Farber said it best recently on the H/I/O talk show.
The coach doesn´t make that much of a difference. Period.
He said there are maybe 3 coaches, maybe 4 in the league who make a bit of a difference.
So if most coaches are close to each other, it obviously makes sense to have a french canadian or bilingual coach in our local context. Keeping Therrien is a no-brainer unless he loses the team, which clearly hasn´t happened, or unless a truly elite coach becomes available (who would want to coach in Montreal), which is very unlikely.

Yes a coach with stones would utilize the tools he had better than M/T does. Look at last night and what they did in OT and sat the young fresh legs in hopes of shootout. Thats not teaching anything to the kids because you already had the point and were on home ice with momentum so teach them and give them the opportunity to have success.

GO HABS GO!!!

“The excitement of the fans in Montreal,especially in the playoffs,I don’t think you can get that anywhere else. For a hockey player,I kind of wish everyone could go through that and experience what it is to play there. It’s very unique.” Saku Koivu

Not sure where but at least hope for a little more entertainment for the dollars spent on tickets. Also hope for someone to utilize talent we have accordingly. DD has had Patches forever and Plexs has had Gio for 2+ years but Eller has had a revolving door of line mates forever. A little stability would be nice and I hope next season he can have Bournival full time and maybe Chucky as well if we don’t move him to center.

GO HABS GO!!!

“The excitement of the fans in Montreal,especially in the playoffs,I don’t think you can get that anywhere else. For a hockey player,I kind of wish everyone could go through that and experience what it is to play there. It’s very unique.” Saku Koivu

I think it’s time for the Habs to get back to playing speed oriented puck control hockey, not this dumb ass style this “grinding” team is playing. When you don’t have the horses for dump and chase, you simply don’t play that way. MT is trying to get speedy players to play like they’re pepper mills. They aren’t built that way and it’s just plain stupid for the team to play that way.
The Habs need a coach that’s ready to use the speed that’s there and stop the nonsense. Too many small players in the top 6 to be grinders.

I guess you didn’t read my post below.
I know how important you consider my opinion and in that context, I’ll repeat myself:

“I haven’t really complained much about MT this year because, let’s face it, he doesn’t have the talent to work with that the Wings possess.

But it’s been a few games at least where I question what he’s trying to achieve.

For one, I was convinced that PK was going to warm the bench for his first penalty, a totally unnecessary shot to the head the proved Babcock’s point about Subban’s lack of discipline. But nope, he sent him right back out there.

And although Galchenyuk is coming back from a fairly long convalescence, when you’re down to 4 on 4 or even better, 3 on 3 ….. for me?
I’m show-casing my forwards with the most potential in play-making.
I like DD (I know… a lot of you are saying “What? are you nuts?”) because I think he’s got very good vision. And Max is a pretty fast skater, but last night, I would have iced the two Gallys with (an un-deterrmined D … PK was in the penalty box) and then called the time-out, instead of DD, Max and Markov.

I’ve asked that question here before as well Matty..maybe never as clearly as you though.

The answer, in my opinion, is no. Of course Therrien has made questionable decisions, but many of them seem to work. It’s kinda like Babcock with PK. I questioned the use of Hamuis and others over PK, but at the end of the day, the results were there.

You can be sure that another coach would be questined just as much as this one, and he would get similar results….a bit worse, maybe a bit better, but this team is not Pittsburgh or Chicago. Give Therrien a Croby or Toews and we’d be calling him an f’n genius.

Go Habs Go!!

“Fans are great, but the quickest way to start losing is to listen to them.” – Sam Pollock

Matty, it’s the greatest time of your life, or should be.
Enjoy it buddy.
You’ll sneeze and it’ll be gone.
I’m sending my baby (my daughter, now 22) off to Vanderbilt in the fall.
Where has the time gone?

Not all the prospects in Wheeling belong to Montreal. Condon is signed to a contract, which is why he can be brought up from Wheeling to Hamilton. Look to see more PTO contracts in the coming days and weeks. Very similar to what transpired last season.

Successful teams have an identity. They know what style of play gets the best results for them and they stick with it. What is the Hab’s identity? Their supposed to be fast, but I don’t see them winning on “speed.” They’ve got a world class goalie so are they a strong defensive club? Not with the current group of dmen in front of that world class goalie. Are they a scoring team, are they a tough team? What is the frickin identity of this group?

So we’ve figured out Eller is better than Desharnais and is being screwed by Therrien.

We’ve also all agreed that a 1-year-deal for Markov would be fine, two is pushing it and if he’s expecting more that he should be traded for picks and prospects.

And finally, Subban displayed last night why he only played one game in the Olympics. He took a couple penalties, one being foolish and then fell asleep on the OT goal by letting the Detroit player get behind him.

I was at the game or rather interrupted practice last night and saw what I have seen all year no matter the situation. M/T gets out coached all the time by anyone and everyone. Please M/B trade, dump or buy him out soon because this is not entertainment. I can take missing the playoffs but watching this kind of hockey especially after the pre game ceremonies last night is terrible( trying to keep it clean so use your own adjectives to describe that mess). What in the world is he doing with the worst 5 on 5 play in the league almost and still playing dumb(intentional) and chase hockey. Also the OT with no kids who are younger and have fresh legs and instead trying to play for a shootout? What a joke for a game plan as well as a coach. Chucky looked horrified sitting there knowing he could have had fun and changed things. Enough because I could go on forever. M/B please drop him at seasons end or we may loose these kids forever like what could be happening in Edmonton. PK has regressed under his tight reins and the other kids are looking mystified and cautious.

GO HABS GO!!!

“Politicians are like diapers, they should be changed often and for the same reasons” (unknown)

“The excitement of the fans in Montreal,especially in the playoffs,I don’t think you can get that anywhere else. For a hockey player,I kind of wish everyone could go through that and experience what it is to play there. It’s very unique.” Saku Koivu

Among his interesting observations: Briere, Murray and Moen all have trade value. Surprising to me. He says he got it from a pro scout.

I actually think all three would be valuable to us against the Bruins in the playoffs. If Tinordi impresses, Murray might be traded, according to EE. This possibly explains why Tinordi was called up instead of Beaulieu.

You know…. I wouldn’t have even read his article if you hadn’t commented, and now I’m sorry you commented.
He’s only stating the obvious on that one. As for the rest, I’m surprised he even has a following.

– Fire Therrien, same system, same poor hanging on for dear life play, doesn’t make changes
– Tinordi and Beaulieu in the line up full-time
– Move Emelin to the left side (pathetic this still hasn’t happened)
– Get rid of Desharnais and move Eller up (Plek – Eller- Galchenyuk)

If you give youngsters responsibility, you’d be surprised how well they perform.

I soured once from this team in the past, and, if not for, Price, PK, Gally(2), Eller, MaxP and a few others, I would sour again.

Even if they had won last night, it would have made no difference. A point, here or there, they are still an average team, but with elite goaltending.

I would try to trade everyone else, and get as much return as possible, for a brighter future. The only goal any team should have is winning a Stanley Cup. I am sorry but making the playoffs, and being annihalated/embarrassed is not my idea of success.

If you hand over the reins to the youth, and keep some character older guys for guidance, they might not win the Cup the first year, but at least they will have gained experience and the realization that if they fail, they have no one else to blame but themselves. Also, it is a great motivator.

When MB first came on the scene, he traded Cole for Ryder, and I though, wow a ballsy GM, a mover and a shaker. Since then, zilch.

MT is not the worst coach, but he isn’t ideal either. In one of his first interviews he was asked to do a word association for each player.

“DD, a very important player. Eller, a work in progress.” (said with a sour face). wtf?

Management has been disappointing so far. Coaching as well.

Chucky on any other team would be playing 30 minutes a night, and probably would have a “C” on his chest. Not saying this is ideal as well. How about somewhere in the middle of the two extremes. Is MT that clueless?

I don’t think Hab fans are that ignorant not to see that the make-up of this team has some rot in it.

For myself, I felt like I wasted my time watching last night’s game, and I could’ve watched the highlites in 5 seconds.

I’m not happy about being negative, but without emergency intervention, we are doomed.

At this point I blame Bergevin because it’s his responsiblity to make changes when the coaching is this bad. When Therrien is fired, he’ll get no calls for head coaching jobs, the french requirement is embarassing.

Enough with the “french requirement” being embarrassing. It is the policy of the bleeping team. It has been for about 25 years, so quit griping like a broken record. Want an English coach? There are 29 other teams with them.

Couldn’t agree more Cal – I like your fire. It is a reality of this team and the geographical area that serves as its home base. Steeltown is code for Hamilton, and that geography speaks for itself.

I get your final comment – 29 teams – but the reality is that a smaller number than that actually operate with unilingual anglophones or non-french speakers. NYR, CGY and COL come to mind, and the reason for this is that the bilingual francophone coaches in those markets have experience and success behind them.

See the Oilers, Edmonton. That’s what happens when you hand the reins to youth. I am for trading vets that don’t pull their weight, as well, but which do you keep. Trading away the “dregs” like Moen, Bourque and the like won’t change much. The return will be the same kind of player that mails it in more often than not.
I would move DD and give Galchenyuk Patches and Gallagher.

The Oilers are not a good example Cal. Their youth come up and are not made accountable. Pretty much they do whatever they want. Also, their mangement has not integrated quality vets, and have failed to draft D men to have a well rounded team..

Our kids already have more experience and are, at least, defensively responsible.

The idea is to trade players with the highest value, that won’t be around, or as valuable 1 or 2 years from now to speed the winning process up.

It’s a waste of our best players to make them wait and wait for draft picks to “maybe” turn into homeruns.

After all of the line juggling when teh team has had success scoring over the years…we are now confronted with the longest stretch of offesnive futility and the team has decided to keep the lines together…
I would seriously be quite fine with drawing names from a hat for tonights game….

Which scenario would scare hockey insider outer’s the most?
a) Therrien is fired minutes before tonight’s game and replaced by Iron Mike.
b) Markov is dealt for another small forward
c) Price is announced out for 4 weeks.
d) Tinordi announces he plans to attend Douglas Murray’s skating school in the summer.
e) Lars Eller goes another game without touching the puck.

You have a team blessed with one of the best goalies in the world,
you get hired as the coach,
you come out guns blazing last year and the fist time in years the Habs are scoring goals
Your team beats everyone until the injury bug hits at exactly the wrong time
So what do you do?

Burly:
Just wanted to let you know I did get your message last week when I was in Aruba – just never got around to responding, sorry. It was my second time there and it was even better than the first!
Cheers,

Therrien just proved he has no clue. ” we were hoping for a shoot out! ” Both teams showed rust! Give me a break. Detroit may not have been at their best, Franzen was playing just his 2nd game since December, Zetterberg was out and Datsyuk was coming back from injury. If it weren’t for Budaj, it would not have gone to over time!

I think he has run out of ideas and needs to hide! I have never seen a team get so many days off when they obviously need the practice. I know they have mandated days off, but the Habs take way more than those.

Most teams complain with the busy schedule, they don’t have enough time to practice, Therrien prefers to take time off. Maybe they would execute better and hit the net more often with some practice.

Here is a drill, have each player practice shooting at the net with a Hanson brother skating towards them, gloves off and aluminum foil on their hands! Teach them how to shoot and hit the net under pressure. Oh yeah, they miss when they aren’t under pressure!
Practice that too!

I know it will probably be Budaj tonight, but at some point here, if Price isn’t dressed, I think it’s worth seeing what we’ve got in Tokarski. He’s been great in the AHL, has won a WJC gold, a Calder Cup, a Memorial Cup. I’d like to see if he’s ready for the NHL.

eller’s spin-a-rama, Chucky’s dekes, Gallagher could just crash the net, and PK skate to the low slot and then uncork a full slapper at Howard’s head (he might duck out of the way out of self-preservation…

Therrien says “We were hoping for a shootout, but it didn’t happen”. Are you f’ing kidding me! Why would a coach hope for a shoot out? Especially with the shooters he tends to pick. My God, what a brilliant coach.

I’m not surprised at all by the majority who want to trade Markov, I’m one of them. To get value you have to trade value. So why wait a year or two until his value has dropped and then ship him off to a contender for a 2nd and some fring player. We could move him now, get actual assets and give either Tinordi or Beaulieu the last 25 games for experience.

I think that Markov`s value is as high as it will ever be and that we have to turn the page, get the most of what we can with him or a package deal and look forward to a new era. At one point although i tend to be too sentimental about the habs players,one has to act business like and make significant changes . I am not trying to find any guilty party but one has to admit that we did not get to the one and only goal an NHL team should have so changes are needed.

Is it just me or is that a solid set of centers? Chucky needs to start playing top minutes and Eller needs more ice time as well to blossom into that 2nd center we need him to be. Plekanec is 31 and ain’t getting any younger….he will need to accept the role as the 3rd line, shutdown, defensive center and I think he is perfect for that. He’d be the best 3rd line center in the league. Tell me that Bournival, Pleks & Prust isn’t a threat on both ends of the ice and would easily be a top 5 3rd line in the league. And Whitey is a more than adequate 4th line center. I really hope this is what we see next year down the middle.

As for DD I get the love for him but at the same time I don’t if that makes any sense. He is not a top 3 center on this team, he cannot play wing. He does not fit. That’s the bottom line. I don’t care how great of a guy he is, how hard he worked to get here, how much heart he has, or that Patches is his bff….I love the guy but he doesnt fit. Period. MB needs to trade him…Anaheim might be a good destination, Saku will likely retire after this year and playing behind a true #1 center with size in Getzlaf, and having wingers with size who can dig the puck out of the corners is well suited for him….or hell trade him to Tampa for MSL

White is fine on a 4th line. Chucky…jury’s out (he hasn’t played center at the NHL level long enough to judge). Pleky is a good 2nd line pivot. Eller doesn’t rate at all. I’d trade him in a heart beat.

That’s exactly the center men we should go with. It doesn’t require a trade or anything, just the removal of DD and the insertion of Galchenyuk in DD’s spot. It will never happen though, we are talking about Montreal.

“All we need are 3-4 good defencemen, 2 big trios, and goalie…. and we’re there!”

Aside from the goalie, I’m not sure he’s far wrong. Especially when you watch uninspiring efforts like last night.

When you’re best forward is your 5’6″ Captain, and you’re hanging part of your D hopes on a call-up (Tinordi- who by the way, when the season started was hitting everything and anything that moved, just to impress, and yet has seemed to lose that ability), you know that this is not the year when your name will engraved on Lord Stanley.

In that spirit, following what Burly said, I’m torn on whether or not to trade Markov. I’ve said it before many times, he’s got hockey IQ out the wazoo. But his legs don’t have the speed they had. So while he’s still got some very good value, it would be worth taking a look at.

There is no way that this would reap immediate dividends, with high draft choices and perhaps a 2nd or 3rd rounder, but it could build for the future.

It won’t be next year either. Just look at Tinordi, and you know he’s still a work-in-progress. Personally, I think Beaulieu is at least a full length ahead.

I just hope to live another Saint Catherine street parade before I die.

Sorry, replying to your own post is not cool, but is that what we have regressed to? Heading into Pittsburgh, against the best team in the east and we are left to dress either seven defencemen or play Parros. Sorry, but this is frustrating.

You’d be surprised who could/would want him. He’s past his prime just some people here are in denial. I don’t agree with those trying to blow him up into being amazing. He’s not, far from it too. He makes a lot of mistakes out there and he’s slower than molasses. Then again, so is Gorges…trade them, get something for them even if it’s draft picks. Bring up the young guys and play them. This team is going nowhere in these playoffs nor will they next year or the year later. I sound depressing, I am depressed but this is inevitably what it will be.

It really isn’t as easy as it sounds to trade players. There has to be a market for them. Sure, Markov has a market; but whether that is in the interest of the Habs’ management to actually deal him creates another barrier. Is there really a market out there for Gorges? or DD? or Bourque? Bourque was attempted to be dealt but clearly, and I don’t blame the other side, they wanted what Montreal did not want to give up for what they were getting in return.

Yep exactly. About signing Markov, I like him, it’s not because I don’t. It makes sense for this team to get rid of them if you consider the promise made unto fans. Things have to change, we need to be a real contender. Then change it! To me right now it was just all smoke.

I, not unlike most of us here, do not even take those rumors with a grain of salt. I am not sure who is worse, Mackenzie or that idiot Bruce Garrioch. Actually, I’m entirely certain that they are all idiots.

About Andrei, it is no doubt a good time to deal him but I just cannot see it happening. As much good as it does for the future, I don’t think Bergevin has the guts to do it. To be honest, I still like Markov. A high IQ two-way defender with loads of experience is great for the youth, but not better for the future.

It was definitely and un-impressive demonstration on our Habs’ part last night.

Coach Babcock (remember him? … the Team Canada Coach that many had burning in effigy) certainly showed what it takes to spank the other team from start to finish.

I haven’t really complained much about MT this year because, let’s face it, he doesn’t have the talent to work with that the Wings possess.

But it’s been a few games at least where I question what he’s trying to achieve.

For one, I was convinced that PK was going to warm the bench for his first penalty, a totally unnecessary shot to the head the proved Babcock’s point about Subban’s lack of discipline. But nope, he sent him right back out there.

And although Galchenyuk is coming back from a fairly long convalescence, but when you’re down to 4 on 4 or even better, 3 on 3 ….. for me?
I’m show-casing my forwards with the most potential in play-making.
I like DD (I know… a lot of you are saying “What? are you nuts?”) because I think he’s got very good vision. And Max is a pretty fast skater, but last night, I would have iced the two Gallys with PK and then called the time-out, instead of DD, Max and Markov.

Too much open ice and speed for Markov, and a lot of room for our two second-year crashers. I was scratching my head when MT called a time-out and sent Max and DD back out.

At this point, I’d like to see what the team can get for him. I don’t think he’s figured out what he’s supposed to do next.
2 points in 17-18 games, and pouting since they broke up the EGG line, I’m not sure he’ll raise himself to the level that everyone hoped for.

I don’t know how many times he passed the puck to nobody last night. It was hard to watch.

Bulldogs sign Nathan McIver (defense) to a one year contract as per habsprospects.com. He’s a 29 yr old left shooting defense. Only Darren Dietz is injured and it’s day to day. Maybe one of Jarred Tinordi or Nathan Beaulieu will be staying with Montreal. Or a trade is in the works to move our log jam of defense. I believe Davis Drewiske is ready to go, but has had family issues to deal with at home. Once he is back the Habs will have P.K., Markov, Gorges, Emelin, Murray, Boullion, Drewiske and Tinordi. Looking forward, if Pateryn and Beaulieu are ready next year I doubt the Habs want to have so many rookie defense without some experience in the NHL.
If it were up to me, I would trade Markov. Send Drewiske to the minors. Bring up Beaulieu and let the rookies get some experience. Play P.K. with Gorges. Move Emelin to the left side and play him with Beaulieu. Murray and Tinordi as the third pairing with the Cube on deck.
Just some random thoughts.
Enjoy the day!

Playing for the shootout when you have 5 minutes of 4 on 4 and then 3 on 3 and you have a speedster like Gallagher and an offensive weapon like Galchenyuk sitting on the bench is mind blowing. He played 4 forwards all OT.

Toughest GM job in the NHL, I still like the choice, but he needs to make sure his next moves are the right moves. Not every GM gets to be like Sather and be given a locker full of mulligans. I suppose Sather did “earn” them in Edmonton, but that is another whole discussion.

I am torn on the trading of Markov, I see the merits of keeping him and trading him. It really is predicated on whether or not he is able to make some other moves. And as well the point you make is very very valid. Miss the playoffs in Montreal and you’ve angry mobs and an owner who just missed out on a very big pay check!

I am not convinced Markov would do that, and I have to believe MB and Andrei know already if they are going to get a deal done. If MB hasn’t had that conversation or still has no idea if he will be able to re-sign Markov, then Houston we have a problem.

@Burl. From last thread very cute :D. It only appears that way. On another note try and talk HabsFab (Frank) into next years Summit. I offered free transport up and back with my crew (son and 2 older grandkids). Some other perks as well. He’s usually busy work wise that time of year but I think you could manage it with your subtle personality.